Friday, April 28, 2006

You know your day is not going to be wonderful when you find a note on your desk using the word “cockamamie” in reference to something you will have to take care of. Sigh.

But aside from that…

As National Poetry Month draws to a close, I am realizing that it actually did have an effect on me this time. I did read more poetry (although I do read a fair amount) and I sought out new poets and new styles and…ohmygosh! I enjoyed it. I also thought about poetry more than usual. It’s not really something I think about generally at all but every year when NPM (oooh…an abbreviation! It must be important!) rolls around, the newspapers start saying the same old things, “is poetry important?” and “does any body really care?” After much thought, I have decided yes! I CARE! But I am still not sure how important it is.

Poetry still has the power to move people, but only when people read it. There are still poems that start discussion, start arguments and start trouble, but if you aren’t reading poetry, then how would you know? And much like every other bit of writing, well, there’s a lot of stuff out there. And that is both good and bad. I mean hey, there is a lot of stuff out there….but on the other hand, that means there is a lot of stuff to wade through before you find something that you like. Or maybe even find something you hate enough to give you that visceral response.

I’m no scientist but I have heard that doing crossword puzzles or soduku can help to keep your brain healthy and happy. (My mom does a crossword puzzle everyday to help protect herself from Alzheimer’s.) I’d like to suggest that poetry can do the same thing. Your brain has to work differently when you read or write poetry. If you want to rhyme, you are gonna need to stretch that mind (because they do say that nothing rhymes with orange). And if you want to write a haiku, or a sonnet, well, there are rules and those rules take some concentration, some math skills and some work. I’m willing to bet that poetry can work both sides of the brain. In fact, I think someone should fund a study on that!

This is a muffinless week. We spent the weekend cleaning out our spare room, sorting the junk and putting the non-junk or slightly less junky stuff into storage. There was much hauling, lifting, packing and sneezing done (apparently, we also haven’t dusted in the spare room in quite a while). By the end of the last night, I could barely drag myself to bed, much less make any sort of muffins, vegan or otherwise. It’s cereal this week. And then maybe back to the muffins next week.

Here is a lengthy questionnaire that I was emailed. My answers are not that interesting but I’m tired.

1. First name:You can call me Ren.

2. Were you named after anyone?No, but I was ALMOST named Barbara dean, after my aunt and grandfather. And it is my understanding that my grandmother was pulling hard for Theodora, after my father. I think I got lucky.

3. Do you wish on stars?Sometimes, if I see a shooting star.

4. When did you last cry?What time is it now? Actually, I don’t remember the very last time I cried but we did watch Finding Neverland a few weeks ago and it left me a sobbing mess. I mean, you know when Kate Winslet is in a movie that’s she’s pretty much DOOMED! But this one just got me at the right time. And I don’t usually cry over movies either. Damn, I’m getting soft in my old age!

5. Do you like your handwriting?Sure, I guess. It’s mine. I don’t know how to do it any other way. But I did get in trouble in grade school for mixing the printing with the cursive. I got points taken off for every letter of printing I let slip in. That’s just mean.

6. What is your favorite lunch meat?Um…You know, I wish I had some sort of witty quip for this one but…yeah. I’m not a big lunch meat eater.

7. What is your birthday?November 9 (send presents!).

8. What is your most embarrassing CD?Personally, I am not embarrassed by any of my cd’s, but someone else might be embarrassed by the Spice Girls, or the Sebastian Bach cd (it’s not very good though). Not embarrassed by Supertramp or the soundtrack to Josie and the Pussycats either (dude, that one is awesome, you should listen to it).

9. Would YOU be friends with yourself?I’m not sure. I’d like to say yes but then part of me says “You’re kidding, right? You’d never want to hang out with yourself!”

10. Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell?Probably but I ain’t sayin’ yes and I ain’t sayin’ no.

11. Do looks matter?Sadly, yes. But I do think that beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. So as long as someone who likes your looks is beholding you…well then you are all set!

12. How do you release anger?Fume.

13. Where is your second home?Los Angeles.

14. Do you trust others too easily?I don’t know that I actually “trust” but I am always willing to give the benefit of the doubt.

15. What was your favorite toy as a child?I liked my bike a lot.

16. What class in high school do you think was totally useless?Trig/Pre-Cal. It was a foolish idea to even take that class. I guess it’s useful for some people but I knew that I would never have a job in a field that would make it necessary and yet I took it on the advice of some stupid guidance councilor because it “would look good on a college application.” Let me just tell you that an F never looks good on a college application.

17. Do you have a journal?I gots this bloggy thing. That’s about it.

18. Favorite Movies?Persuasion, Empire Records(Hi Jodi!), Shaun of the Dead, Mallrats, Breakfast at Tiffany’s…um…there’s a lot more but I can’t think of any right now.

19. What are your (acceptable) nicknames:Well, some people call me Ren.

20. Would you bungee jump?Oh hey, no freakin’ way. Terrified of falling, you know.

21. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?I rarely wear shoes with laces, but when I do, no, despite all those years of working in a shoe store and telling people they will ruin their shoes if they don’t.

22. Do you think that you are strong?No.

23. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?I think it’s more appropriate to ask which flavors I don’t like...and I can’t think of any except bubblegum. But I did have some Soy Delcious Cherry Nirvana soy cream stuff the other day and I always like it but man it was good this time!

24. What size of shoe do you wear?7.5 or 8. Depends on the shoe.

25. What are your favorite colors?Red, orange, black, brown.

26. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?I like me pretty well. I wish I were braver though.

27. Who do you miss most?My grandmother.

28. Do you want everyone you send this to send it back?Ah, I am lazy. I post instead of sending. So if you do this, please tell me. But I don’t mind if you don’t.

31. What was the last thing you ate?An almond Hershey’s kiss. Almonds are good for you!

32. What is the weather like right now?Well from the skylight above me it looks lovely and sunny. Inside it’s relatively comfortable for once although my hands are a little cold.

33. Last person you talked to on the phone? James, he was letting me know that my car repairs were completed and that I was now $424 deeper in debt.

34. Do you like the person who sent this to you?I do indeed! Although I got it from two different people and I am not sure who sent it first but I like them both so there!

35. Favorite Drink?Tea

36. Eye Color?Brown with black spots.

37. Do you wear contacts?No but I do wear glasses for reading and working.

38. Favorite Day of the Year?All of them I guess.

39. Scary Movies or Happy Endings?Doesn’t really matter if the story is well written.

40. Summer or winter?Summer. Always Summer.

41. Hugs or kisses?Depends on who is offering.

42. What is Your Favorite Dessert?I have a firm belief that dessert isn’t dessert unless it has some sort of chocolate in it. That said, I’d have to say that my favorite dessert is…Sticky Toffee Pudding…which has no chocolate in it…what can I say? I am an enigma.

46. What books are you reading?Oh, I am kind of embarrassed to admit this but I am STILL reading The Scar. I am almost done but just haven’t been reading very much lately (and I did read like three other books while I have been reading this one). But I did particulary like this line from The Scar "butterflies with unholy appetites"...heh.

47. What's on your mouse pad?One of Raphael’s angels.

48. What did you Watch Last Night on TV?I watched The Simpson’s before doing a little more work and then I finally collapsed on the couch and watched…Footballer’s Wives which was a trashy good time!

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

I just used the phrase “icing emergency” as in “I have that jar of chocolate hazelnut spread in the fridge in case of an icing emergency.” I believe that I also recently referred to a “cupcake related emergency.” I do not actually know what exactly would qualify as an icing or cupcake related emergency but you can be damn sure that I am prepared for such a thing.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

There was a lot of cooking going on in my apartment over the weekend. And it was all good!

The vegan muffin for the week is mocha chocolate and it is the best so far. Jason even asked me if they were actually vegan because they don’t taste like they are. But they are.

Let’s see, there was also a very nice Easter dinner. We had butterflied leg of lamb stuffed with garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, olives, anchovies and lemon zest. It was very nice and before you start saying “Oh ew! Olives and anchovies”…you wouldn’t even know they were in there. It mostly just added some salt to the mix. But that portion of the meal was decidedly un-vegan. There was also steamed asparagus, boiled new potatoes with olive oil, fresh challah bread, deviled eggs and for dessert, cupcakes!

The cupcakes and their icing were actually from boxes. I picked them up at Trader Joe’s and wanted to give them a try. I am generally not a box mix kind of girl. I have no real problem with mixes but since I can cook and I do like to cook, it’s just as easy for me to make some things from scratch. That said, my favorite kind of cupcake is still dark chocolate from a box with white icing from a can. Anyway, if you don’t like to cook or want to keep some box mixes on hand for cupcake emergencies, I highly recommend this vanilla cake mix from Trader Joe’s. I think it’s very good and I like that you can see actual specks of vanilla bean in the mix. At least…I HOPE that was vanilla bean. The Decadent Chocolate frosting was not to my tastes, but I am not much of an icing person. It did taste less chemical-ly than most ready made frostings though, so if you don’t like that straight out of the can taste, you might want to give it a try. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you…well…call me, I’ll send you some (don’t call, I won’t send it. I’m just being nice).

I know I am a little late in catching on but I just realized that it is Easter time! That means bags of black jellybeans at half price next week! WOO-HOO!

Also, I was reminded by Jules this morning that I left out two of my favorite words to say: smelt and Sununu. I am also inordinately fond of saying Bevelacqua and once renamed my cat Bevelacqua, which really doesn’t matter since cats don’t answer when you call anyway.

Finally, a little more poetry. Jodi loves to write the haiku. So here are half a dozen haiku by the second most famous (just behind Jodi) haiku writer ever…Basho. Actually, Basho is the ONLY other haiku writer I know, so we will have to just assume he’s the second most famous.

I would like to usethat scarecrow's tattered clothesin this midnight frost

And here is why I picked these six in particular. I like bees, I like fireflies, I think wisteria smells good and it attracts bees, everyone likes a monkey but a monkey in a raincoat is pure gold, I think the idea of cherry blossom soup is charming and…I just like that last one a lot.Haiku is good stuff. And people who are good at it, like Jodi and Basho make is seem easy but it really isn’t. It’s bite size poetry bursting with flavor. Or something.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Words I like to say, just because they are fun:1. Randy (either as a name or an adjective, I just like saying it).2. coffee (usually pronounced kaaw-fee)3. banana (randomly spoken for absolutely no reason whatsoever)

Words my mother likes to say:1. corduroy2. Evander Holyfield

Random quotes that run through my head on a regular basis:1. "Look at all the pretty pumpykins!"2. "Orange whip? Orange whip? Three orange whips."

Vegan muffins I made this past weekend:Blueberry lemon corn muffins

Vegan muffins I intend to make this coming weekend:Coffee chocolate chip

What I am listening to right now:Opera podcast of Marilyn Horne

Poems I have read today:1. "Song" by John Donne2. "Three Things there Be" by Sir Walter Raleigh3. "Hamlet" by John Koethe

Things I found while cleaning out a closet this week:One unused, still sealed in the package Battenberg lace apronA program for the Orson Welles version of OthelloRandom prom pictures of people who are not meOutdated Slick Tips for Quark Xpress bookOne questionable granola bar

What I had for lunch today:Refried beans and cheese toasted on a whole wheat tortilla and topped with baby romaine lettuce, a tomato and some lemon juice. It was pretty good.

Shakespearian names I have contemplated for children that I won’t have that would make people dislike me more than Gwenyth Paltrow:HeroBeatriceIagoMercutioRomeo

So here is yet another of my favorite poems (hey, just wait until I decide to talk about Howl!) This one is unusual. A lot of people have spent a lot of time pouring over it and analyzing it but in the end, I think what it really is a very nice image. You can just see the plums in the fridge. I always think they are in a bowl and there is very little else in there with them. But that’s what this poem does; it gives you a very strong visual image that the reader can embellish in his or her own mind. And that is more difficult than you may imagine.

One of the other things I like about this poem is the simplicity. Although it is not actually a haiku, it certainly evokes the idea of a haiku. It is simple, natural and it brings to mind a specific season (although the season itself is never mentioned, I feel like the fact that there are plums and they are being kept in the icebox suggests summer).

Finally, I like how this poem is a little bit of a love poem. Only on the fringes. The writer has done something that may well be selfish, we don’t actually know, but at the same time has left a note of apology for what is suggested to be a very sensual indulgence. I think that this poem suggests even more than it actually says. That is what makes it such a good one for me, it’s minimalist to the point where it is almost absurd and yet somehow I end up with and awful lot of clear images and ideas. William Carlos Williams makes it look so easy (but it’s not!).

Friday, April 07, 2006

Since I posted a poem yesterday and then Jodi was kind enough to share her poetry (in French no less! She is faaaancy!), I thought I would continue a bit on the subject.

Here’s the thing. I find a lot of people seem to be afraid of poetry. And it can be tough going sometimes but I do think that it’s worth the work. It’s great exercise for your brain too. Poetry makes us think differently. MOST (and of course there are exceptions but really, let’s not get picky here) poetry is nothing like our common language. Even when it’s not “old” you still have to contend with things like rhyming and meter and whatever. But in the end, all it really boils down to is..do you like it?

This is another of my favorite poems. And if you have kids and you aren’t reading them A.A. Milne…well…just do it. It’s good stuff. And you might be surprised at how funny it is, even to adults.

James JamesMorrison MorrisonWeatherby George DupreeTook greatCare of his Mother,Though he was only three.James James Said to his Mother,"Mother," he said, said he;"You must never go downto the end of the town,if you don't go down with me."

James JamesMorrison's MotherPut on a golden gown.James James Morrison's MotherDrove to the end of the town.James James Morrison's MotherSaid to herself, said she:"I can get right downto the end of the townand be back in time for tea."

King JohnPut up a notice,"LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!JAMES JAMES MORRISON'S MOTHERSEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.LAST SEENWANDERING VAGUELY:QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,SHE TRIED TO GET DOWNTO THE END OF THE TOWN -FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!"

James JamesMorrison Morrison(Commonly known as Jim)Told hisOther relationsNot to go blaming him.James JamesSaid to his Mother,"Mother," he said, said he:"You must never go down to the end of the townwithout consulting me."

James JamesMorrison's motherHasn't been heard of since.King John said he was sorry,So did the Queen and Prince.King John(Somebody told me)Said to a man he knew:If people go down to the end of the town, well,what can anyone do?"

(Now then, very softly)J.J.M.M.W.G.Du P.Took greatC/0 his M*****Though he was only 3.J.J. said to his M*****"M*****," he said, said he:"You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-if-you-don't-go-down-with-ME!"

Personally, I am particularly fond of the last stanza. But the whole poem is great. I like the fact that James James Morrison Morrison is so well spoken for a three year old. And he’s not afraid either. Not afraid to make his demands clear and not afraid of whatever it is as the end of town, even though it is clear that his mother should have been.

And really, 40 shillings seems quite a lot for such a foolish mother! Golden gown indeed!

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? Well it is. And I like poetry. A lot. So I am sharing one of my favorite poems with you, right here and right now. And then I am a going to tell you why I like this poem. OK? OK. Here we go…

THE FLEAby John Donne

MARK but this flea, and mark in this,How little that which thou deniest me is;It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.Thou know'st that this cannot be saidA sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead; Yet this enjoys before it woo, And pamper'd swells with one blood made of two; And this, alas ! is more than we would do.

O stay, three lives in one flea spare,Where we almost, yea, more than married are.This flea is you and I, and thisOur marriage bed, and marriage temple is.Though parents grudge, and you, we're met,And cloister'd in these living walls of jet. Though use make you apt to kill me, Let not to that self-murder added be, And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

Cruel and sudden, hast thou sincePurpled thy nail in blood of innocence?Wherein could this flea guilty be,Except in that drop which it suck'd from thee?Yet thou triumph'st, and say'st that thouFind'st not thyself nor me the weaker now.'Tis true; then learn how false fears be;Just so much honour, when thou yield'st to me,Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.

OK, now. If you studied John Donne at all in school, you may remember him most for two key phrases, “No man in an island” and “Ask not for whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee”. That’s all well and good and he wrote a lot about religion but this poem…well…this comes from his more…libertine sort of days.

This is what is known as a seduction poem. Did you get that part? Because a lot of people see the “language” and think, “Eh, old stuff, I don’t care about this” but oh, that is such a mistake! This poem is totally about getting a chick to sleep with him. And truly, it is a better argument than any I have ever heard. What it boils down to is, “Hey baby, we’re lying here in bed and you won’t give it up” but then…OW! They are both bitten by a flea (OK, well, if you are in bed with a dude in this day and age and you get bitten by a flea, I suggest you just get out, but that’s not the point here) and he tells her that since their blood is mingled within the flea, there is no sin in going ahead and mingling it a little more, eh? What I really love about this is her response…she kills the flea. And like the typical male that he is (sorry guys) he keeps trying. I have never believed that she was convinced. But damn the man puts up a good argument.

I have very little of interest to write about so I decided to interview my best friend. Why do you care? Why would you not? She’s a neat chick!

Hi Jules, how’s your day going so far today?Its going ok - but there is always time for things to get crazy.

Tell us all what you do…I work for a printing company. I mainly work on ads for pharmaceutical companies (I can find an ad in any magazine I open that I worked on). I also work on other ads - not just pharmaceuticals. Also, I design catalogs for auction houses.

How long have you been doing that? I have been at this company for 10 years & 2 weeks. I worked with you before that as a textbook illustrator for another company. I think I was there for I think 3 or 4 years.

And what kind of things do you do for fun?Fun... well, I like to watch TV. I find it relaxing after running around like a maniac and working on my computer all day. I like to watch movies. I like to go out for meals with my friends. I like to shop.It is starting to warm up here, so I'm very excited. I got a convertible last April and that makes even running errands fun. I'm looking forward to taking a drive to the shore with the top down, eating boardwalk pizza, playing skeeball, sitting on the beach and reading a book and playing chicken with the tramcars. (Ah, the beach. The tramcars. I do miss New Jersey sometimes.)

So, we’ve known each other a long time. Do you remember how we met? Because I really don’t. I do remember an annoying incident in Hershey Park involving you though.I also remember the Hershey Park incident. We had a mutual friend we were hanging out with and in our 8th grade state of mind thought it would be amusing to "talk like babies" the entire day.I think we bonded in 9th grade in Mr. Wash's advanced science class (I noted that it was advanced because I find it amusing that we were both at one point "advanced" in science).I believe we also bonded that year over our mutual dislike of the marching band instructor.

(OK first let me say that you weren’t talking like babies, you were playing “Doug and Wendy Whiner” and second…I don’t remember joining in on that, so I am going to say that I didn’t. Finally, I am fine with science. Its just math that gives me trouble. And Mr. Wash…he gave me books. The only teacher I ever had to encourage reading was a science teacher!)

Let’s see, what else…well, I talk about books a lot. Are you reading anything interesting right now?I have a few books started, but I admit I haven't picked them up in a bit. I am rather fried when I get home from work & my eyes don't want to focus on small things. I am in the middle of reading a dual biography of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots.To my defense, I've gotten rather hooked (more than before) on history shows on television. I'll actually sit & watch them for hours on the weekend.

And I know you aren’t very interested in comic books. Any special reason why not?I think the reason is that when I read, I tend to see the action happening in my head - like my own private movie. I don't really like having it shown for me - kinda the way when they make a book into a movie, it’s never quite the same.

(I can see your point. Some times I read a whole comic and then realize I never paid attention to the art. But on the other hand, if you find an artist that you really like, I think it really enhances the story. I maintain that there is a comic book out there for everyone, you just have to find it.)

How about music? You are always on the cutting edge. What’s new that you like? And more specifically, what’s new that you like that I might like?I just bought the new cd by the "yeah yeah yeahs" but I'm not sure if you will like it. I'll get back to you on that.I sent you a cover of Hounds of Love by the Futureheads the other week. I thought you might like them. (Yeah, that Futureheads song was ok. I would have to hear more to know if I like it or not though. Not huge on the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, but I don’t actually dislike them either.)This is kinda cool - I've been converting my cds to mp3s to load onto my ipod. I keep pulling out stuff I haven't listened to in ages. It’s great - it’s almost like discovering stuff all over again. So, at the moment, I'm listening to all kinds of stuff.

What have you been watching on TV that’s good? And don’t say “Lost”, I don’t like that show.Well, I admit, I am totally hooked on Grey's Anatomy. Seriously. Sometime, my friend the Supermodel & I call each other on the commercial breaks. Seriously.I am very psyched about Doctor Who being on. I am enjoying that very much.

(How do you like that Denny Duchette? All the writers for Grey’s Anatomy seem to be in love with him because he is “broken”. He does have a cute smile though. I personally am really fond of the Christina/Burke storyline because I can totally relate to the problems of sharing space…any kind of space).And Dr. Who is the greatest...show...ever! Well, it's really good. And you, by the way, are the premiere expert on all things WHO. So if you like it-it must be good!

Also, I would like to recommend the show Hustle. It is on AMC on Saturday nights. It is clever & well done. I think its my fav new show of the season. (I like Hustle too. We watched a bunch of them in a row during a marathon. Have you seen Heist? I think it’s supposed to be the American take on Hustle.)

Since you work in the printing business and hate all designers because of it do you have any advice for those designers that you hate?It isn't really that I hate them....I think designers should be required to work in a print shop for a certain period of time. That way, they would get a good idea of what actually works, or what it really takes to make their ideas work.It is worse now with the web. A designer can do something that looks great on screen and works for a web site - but no way in hell will it print that way.My advice to any designer would be if you are unsure, call the print shop you use. Someone there would be glad to answer your question - they would rather answer a question than have to fix a mistake when they are under the gun and time is tight. (And as an occasional designer, I’d like to just say that you get a lot of people who have computers and consider themselves “designers” because hey, they can. Some are really good. Some are not. Just because you have the tools doesn’t mean you are good at the job. I mean, I have a 70-piece socket set, do I think I can fix my car? No. And I am not trying to be a snob about it. I just mean…ok fine I am a snob.)

Hmmm…I usually play 10 questions with Jodi and that’s 10. Anything else you would like to add?No matter what I say on your blog, you are the best friend ever. Plus, we share a brain, so I kinda have to say that. (However, I will never let you forget that you forgot my birthday.)

(Fine. I forgot your birthday. But I did apologize publicly AND I had been very, very sick. I had made plans and then fell ill and was not able to fulfill the plans. Sorry. And because this is my blog I will now state that although I forgot your birthday, you did leave an apple pie on the counter for like 6 weeks. So there.)

Anything you want to ask? Where are you taking me when I come visit you next month?????

Well, I’ve been thinking about this and I do have some plans. I will pick you up at the airport on Thursday and take you back to the apartment to drop off your bags and if you like, take a nap. If you aren’t that tired, we can grab lunch on the way. I was thinking either California Chicken Café or Islands. Then I thought maybe we would catch a movie at the Arclight, if there are any good girly films playing that weekend. The Arclight is right across the street from Amoeba records and I half expect to never see you again once you get inside.

On Friday we are getting up at the crack of dawn and driving down to Disneyland. We will spend as much time as humanly possible on It’s a Small World before heading over to California adventure and getting hammered on wine…actually, maybe we should do that the other way round. Might be more fun.

Saturday…well, I was thinking maybe a visit to Venice Beach? Or if you would prefer, we could head out shopping somewhere. Or if you are feeling cultural, we could head down to museum row. See the tar pits and some art. Then maybe back home for some margaritas, pizza rolls and Gosford Park?

You are leaving on Sunday evening so maybe we could check out that new teahouse in Burbank and just have a mellow day? But if you think of anything else you want to do, just let me know.

Monday, April 03, 2006

The vegan muffin of the week is chocolate chip with walnuts. I think this is my favorite so far. Jason says his favorite was the carrot but I am still flashing back to that one bite of carrot muffin just past it’s “good by” date. Ugh. I don’t think I will revisit the carrot muffin anytime soon because of that.

Quiet weekend again. Just the way I like it. Knocked around, took a trip to some outlets, bought a silicone bundt pan because who doesn’t need one of those? And did…very little.

I did call my parents because Saturday was their 45th wedding anniversary. Yeah, Saturday, April Fool’s Day. And yes, 45 years. I find it hard to imagine being alive for 45 more years, much less being married that long. I’m pretty sure one of us will kill the other long before then and I don’t doubt that my parents must have felt that way once or twice too. But there they are, still married. And they seem to be enjoying it. Well done, Mom & Dad (who don’t have a computer and don’t plan on getting one so they won’t see this and even if I told them that I had blogged about them they wouldn’t understand because “What the heck is a blog?”).

What kind of people get married on April Fool’s Day, you ask? Well…yeah. Actually, I know that they chose that day in particular because it was close to Easter that year and they wouldn’t have to pay for flowers in the church. So I guess they aren’t foolish at all.